Archive of Our Own

Kuroo Tetsurou meets Tsukishima Kei in his third year of high school. 

He’s immediately taken by the tall blonde. Seriously, Tetsurou is pretty sure that falling in love at first sight is something that he never believed in until he saw Karasuno’s number eleven saunter in, looking beyond bored and like he couldn’t care less about playing volleyball. Tetsurou couldn’t help but tease him. Couldn’t keep his mouth closed and had to tell him to loosen up.

But that’s just the kind of person Tetsurou is. A little awkward. A little charming. And immediately sucked into a circle that so few people get the privilege of being in. 

Tetsurou hadn’t found himself there by accident, either. 

See, Tsukishima is like a baby deer- large eyes and easily startled- so it was through careful planning and forethought teasing and well-thought plans of blocking practice that Tetsurou got to see Tsukishima Kei laugh during a volleyball match. Got to see the rare, but beautiful smile that Tsukishima reserves for people who he actually, really cares about. 

And Tetsurou… Well, he wanted to be one of those people.

It wasn’t just about volleyball, though that was the easiest excuse. It was the way Tsukishima carried himself, all sharp lines and detached glances, like he wanted the world to believe he didn’t care. But Tetsurou had been around enough people ( ahem , Kenma) to know that indifference was often just a well-built wall, and he had a habit of climbing over them.

So he started small. 

Little comments during practice, an offhanded tease about Tsukishima’s stiff blocking form, the occasional shove when they passed each other on the court. He pushed just enough to test the waters, and for a while, all he got back was flat stares and dry retorts. But Tsukishima never walked away.  

And that was the thing about Tsukishima Kei. If he truly didn’t care, he wouldn’t waste the energy engaging.

And then, one glorious day, in the middle of what could potentially be Tetsurou’s last high school volleyball game, Tetsurou saw it. 

That brief, unguarded moment where Tsukishima laughed- really laughed. It wasn’t loud, wasn’t anything close to the easy, boisterous kind of laughter Tetsurou was used to, but it was real. Genuine. And for a single second, Tetsurou felt something settle deep in his chest, something warm and certain.

He wanted to see that again.

Then, after a brief moment of that radiance being targeted at him, Tetsurou’s nationals ended.  And he wouldn’t get to play Tsukishima again.

Well, not without some provocation. 

See, Tetsurou and Tsukishima had exchanged phone numbers after their second meeting. After a glorious week where they spent night after night practicing their blocking together.

Tetsurou knew Tsukishima wouldn’t be the type to keep up a long-distance friendship, not without effort. And so Tetsurou did what he did best: he made a plan.  

So he kept pushing. Kept calling, kept sending texts even when Tsukishima only answered half of them. Kept suggesting late-night blocking drills, even when Tsukishima groaned about it but still showed up anyway, making comments about how seniors who are graduating soon traveling up to Miyagi to coach some freshman have no lives.

Slowly, subtly, he worked his way in. And, ever since they first exchanged phone numbers, Tetsurou has been slowly attempting to get Tsukishima to attend the same college as him.

It started with a casual, “What colleges are you looking at?” And then it turned into, “Oh, hey, I heard they’ve got a great science program at my school.” Then, “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if we ended up in the same place?”  

And his years of working Tsukishima over had paid off. Because today, officially, they’re classmates . 

Tetsurou sees Tsukishima before Tsukishima spots him.  

He’s standing near the entrance of the lecture hall, headphones slung around his neck, golden hair catching in the soft autumn sunlight filtering through the windows. He looks the same- tall, composed, perpetually unimpressed- but there’s a slight tension in his shoulders, the kind that betrays the fact that even Tsukishima Kei, cool and detached as he pretends to be, is a little out of his depth in this new environment.

It makes Tetsurou grin.

“Tsukki!” He calls, deliberately obnoxious, stretching his arms over his head as he saunters over.

Tsukishima turns at the sound, expression already twisting into something exasperated, already ready to pretend like he’s not just the tiniest bit glad to see him.

“Don’t call me that,” he says, but he doesn’t turn away.  

And that’s all the permission Tetsurou needs.

He slings an arm over Tsukishima’s shoulders, ignoring the immediate way he stiffens. “Man, it’s been forever since I last saw you! What, two months? Three?”

“Two weeks,” Tsukishima corrects, rolling his eyes. “You invited me over before I unpacked anything in my apartment, found out that we were both taking evolutionary biology, then transferred to be in the same class as me.”

“Too long,” Tetsurou insists. “C’mon, I saved you a seat.”

He doesn’t really wait for Tsukishima’s answer- which would probably be something along the lines of how Tetsurou hasn’t even gone into the classroom yet, so how on Earth did he save them seats- before tugging him along, but Tsukishima follows anyway, sighing but not protesting.

And as they settle into their seats, as Tetsurou watches Tsukishima take in the new environment with those sharp, perceptive eyes, he thinks: Yeah. This is exactly how I wanted things to turn out.

Tetsurou props his chin on his hand, watching Tsukishima out of the corner of his eye as the lecture hall fills up. The blonde is scanning the room, probably already noting the seating arrangements, the professor’s setup, and where the nearest exit is in case he decides he’s had enough of humanity for the day.

Classic Tsukki, really.

Tetsurou smirks, nudging him lightly with his elbow. “So? Thoughts on your first day as a college student?”

Tsukishima exhales sharply through his nose, adjusting his headphones where they rest around his neck. “It’s a classroom. There’s a professor. I assume there will be a lecture. Shocking, really.”

Tetsurou snickers. “God, I missed you.”

Tsukishima gives him a side-eye, lips quirking just slightly before he schools his expression back into something unimpressed. “Again: You saw me two weeks ago.”  

“Yeah, but you were all busy with moving and settling in,” Tetsurou argues. “You only stayed at my place for, like, half an hour! All Kunimi-kun wants to get dinner together and I promised Kunimi-kun that I’d be back before nine -” 

“He’s the only person here from Miyagi that I know besides Hinata,” Tsukishima says. “I’d like to keep that relationship positive.” 

“Still,” Tetsurou pouts. “It wasn’t the same.”

Tsukishima rolls his eyes, but there’s no real bite to it. “You’re so dramatic.”

“And you love it,” Tetsurou shoots back, grinning.

Tsukishima snorts, turning his attention back to the front of the room. The professor is setting up, shuffling through slides on the projector, but Tetsurou isn’t really paying attention to that. He’s more interested in how Tsukishima is settling in. How the tension in his shoulders has eased slightly. How he’s no longer watching the room like it’s a battlefield.

Yeah, maybe he had to pull some strings. Had to push a little harder than most people would to get here. But looking at Tsukishima now- sitting next to him, rolling his eyes at his antics, but not leaving to change seats- Tetsurou knows it was worth it.

The professor clears his throat, signaling the start of the lecture.

Tsukishima shifts in his seat, pulling out a notebook, his sharp gaze already locked onto the screen at the front.

Tetsurou grins, leaning in just a little. “Hey, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima doesn’t look away from the screen. “What?”

Tetsurou keeps his voice low, just enough to be annoying. “I think this is gonna be fun.”

Tsukishima exhales through his nose, barely glancing at him. “That’s because you’re an idiot.”

But Tetsurou sees it- the tiniest twitch of his lips, like he’s fighting off a smile.

Yeah. This is exactly where he wants to be.

Despite the fact that Tsukishima apparently wanted to only maintain a friendship with Kunimi when going to college, he can’t really avoid Hinata. 

And, honestly, Tetsurou says apparently because he knows that Tsukishima has a soft spot for that little, orange-haired ball of energy in the same way that Tetsurou himself does. Of course, for Tetsurou, it’s more that he’s never seen his best friend so happy. 

Seriously, Tetsurou thought that maybe one day, his quiet best friend would find someone else who wants to live out their life in a dark bedroom and live off of takeout. Thought that he would find someone who was just as passionate about video games as him. Maybe someone who also streamed on YouTube. Tetsurou always thought that would be the kind of person that Kenma would fall for.

But, he supposes that there is something to be said for the whole opposites attract thing.

Because Kenma went and fell in love with Hinata Shoyo.

And honestly? Tetsurou kind of loves it.

It’s hilarious, for one thing. Watching Kenma- who has spent years cultivating an image of supreme indifference- get dragged into all kinds of social situations because of Hinata is probably one of the best things to ever happen. But more than that, it’s the way Hinata makes Kenma light up even when he’s pretending he’s still as disinterested as ever.

Tetsurou has known Kenma for most of his life. He knows what it looks like when Kenma is faking enthusiasm just to get someone to leave him alone. And he knows what it looks like when something- or someone- makes Kenma genuinely happy.

Hinata? He’s in the second category.

Which means that, since moving to Tokyo after graduation, Tetsurou has seen a lot of Hinata.

And since Tetsurou plans on keeping Tsukishima with him at practically all times in order to get Tsukishima to fall in love with him… that means that Tsukishima is going to see a lot of Hinata, too.

“Tsukishima!”

“If we ignore him, do you think that he’ll go away?” Tsukishima asks, eyes judging the amount of food that Tetsurou has brought for lunch. Well, two can play at that game because Tetsurou is absolutely judging Tsukishima for only having an iced coffee and a banana.

“Doubtful,” Tetsurou says, casually sliding his onigiri toward Tsukishima. “He’s almost as persistent as-” 

“Hey, hey, hey!” 

Tsukishima’s eyes widen. “It’s only my first day,” he whines. “Don’t tell me…” 

Tetsurou grins. “Bo and Akaashi are heading this way with Chibi-chan and Kenma in tow.”

Tsukishima groans dramatically, rubbing a hand over his face as though trying to will the inevitable into nonexistence. "This is why I didn’t want to come to lunch with you," he mutters under his breath.

Tetsurou just shrugs, unfazed. "What can I say? You're stuck with me now." He grins, leaning back in his chair and watching the approaching group with a mixture of fondness and amusement.

Tsukishima groans, dropping his head into his hand. “You’re telling me I moved all the way to Tokyo just to get ambushed by them ?”

Tetsurou claps a hand on his back, grinning. “I know, right? Isn’t it great?”

Tsukishima doesn’t dignify that with a response, instead taking a slow, suffering sip of his coffee.

“Tsukkiiii!”

Hinata reaches them first, of course, skidding to a stop in front of their table with an energy level that should honestly be illegal. Kenma is right behind him, looking less like he ran and more like he was forcibly dragged along for the ride. Bokuto and Akaashi trail behind, Bokuto waving wildly while Akaashi gives a small, polite nod.

Tetsurou waves back, unable to suppress his grin at Hinata's energy. "Hey, Chibi-chan. How's life treating you?" He asks, glancing at Kenma, whose face is already turning slightly red. Tetsurou isn’t sure if it’s from being the center of attention from both Bokuto and Hinata, or if it’s because it’s really warm for April and Kenma has a sweater and thick jacket on. "You, Kenma? Still surviving?"

Kenma shoots him a half-lidded, tired look but responds with a soft grunt. “Could be worse. You guys are exhausting.”

“Kenma’s always exhausted,” Hinata says cheerfully, completely oblivious to his best friend's growing irritation. “Isn’t it crazy that we all met up like this?” Hinata says, dropping his hands onto his hips like he hasn’t been actively trying to track Tsukishima down since the moment he arrived in Tokyo. And Testsuro, best friend of Hinata’s boyfriend, knows that he has. “We should all eat together!”

“I refuse,” Tsukishima deadpans.

Hinata ignores him, sliding into the seat right beside him.

Kenma, on the other hand, slides into the seat next to Tetsurou with a long sigh, immediately pulling out his phone. “I blame you for this,” he mutters, shooting him a glance from behind his screen. “I don’t know how you somehow managed to get Bokuto into the same building as me at the same time, but I just know that you did it.” 

Tetsurou throws an arm around his shoulders, grinning. “You love me.”

Kenma doesn’t even bother denying it.

Bokuto plops down across from Hinata, already rambling about some ridiculous story from practice, and Akaashi settles in next to him, the picture of long-suffering patience.

Tsukishima pinches the bridge of his nose. “I hate this,” he says, but he still takes one of the onigiri that Tetsurou pushed toward him, eating it between sips of coffee.

Tetsurou watches him, amused.

Yeah. He’s totally doomed.  

"Oooh, what’s this?” Bokuto asks, reaching for the rice ball in the middle of the table. “Looks good."

"Don’t touch that," Tsukishima says immediately, pushing his lunch aside to prevent Bokuto from taking it. "You’ll eat all of it before I even get a bite."

Tetsurou grins. So Tsukishima was planning to eat the food Tetsurou was giving to him. That’s a good sign.

Kenma, sensing a rare moment of peace, leans toward Tetsurou, his voice quieter. "So... are you trying to ruin his life already?" he asks, though there's an underlying humor to his tone. 

Kenma might pretend to be indifferent, but he’s definitely aware of the… dynamic between Tetsurou and Tsukishima.

Tetsurou snickers, not taking his eyes off the playful war between Tsukishima and Bokuto. It reminds him of their first training camp together when they all spent their free time in gym three. 

"It’s not ruining his life, Kenma. I’m helping him become more... social." He grins wider, watching as Tsukishima rolls his eyes but makes no move to leave. He knows that, if pressed, Tsukishima would say that he only stayed because Akaashi is the only person who could ever understand him in this lifetime, but Tetsurou knows that’s not the case.

Bokuto, finally victorious in grabbing a rice ball, looks at Tsukishima with that bright, excited smile of his. “You know, Tsukki, you’re really gonna love college! It’s awesome! You can be as nerdy as you want and no one will care! Right, Kuroo?”

“Quit calling me Tsukki. I bet Yamaguchi feels shivers every time someone calls me that.”

“Totally,” Tetsurou agrees, not missing a beat and ignoring Tsukishima. He’s not about to stop calling him Tsukki, that’s for sure. "The amount of times I’ve used ‘science’ as an excuse for not doing anything productive is staggering."

Tsukishima mutters something under his breath, then turns his attention back to his iced coffee. “I’m surrounded by idiots. Why did I come here again?”

Hinata’s smile only grows brighter. "You know you secretly love us, Tsukishima. Even if you pretend to be grumpy all the time."

Tetsurou glances sideways at Tsukishima, who shifts uncomfortably in his seat, clearly trying to hide the fact that he’s amused, and maybe even fond, of the group’s antics.

"Yeah, Tsukki ," Tetsurou adds in, his voice low enough to be teasing but warm. "You wouldn't be here if you didn’t."

Tsukishima freezes for just a second, like Tetsurou caught him off guard. It’s small, barely noticeable to anyone else, but Tetsurou sees it, since he’s always watching Tsukishima. The slight twitch in his fingers around his coffee cup, the way his shoulders tense ever so slightly.

Then, with a long-suffering sigh, he takes a slow sip of his coffee and levels Tetsurou with a flat, unimpressed stare. "That’s a pretty bold assumption."

Tetsurou just smirks. "Nah. Just stating the facts."

Kenma lets out a quiet snort beside him, barely looking up from his phone, and even Akaashi has the audacity to look mildly entertained. However, Tetsurou knows that Akaashi and Tsukishima have kept in contact, especially since they’re only a year apart, so he’s not too surprised to see Akaashi be amused by their bickering. Bokuto, oblivious as ever, slings an arm around Hinata and laughs. "Tsukishima is totally the kind of guy who secretly likes hanging out with us but will never admit it!"

Hinata nods enthusiastically, grinning. "Right? He acts all grumpy, but he always shows up anyway! He was like that in high school, too.”

"That’s called being emotionally manipulated," Tsukishima deadpans, stabbing his straw into the lid of his coffee like it personally offended him.

"Wow," Tetsurou says, tilting his head. "That’s a big word for you, Tsukki."

Tsukishima exhales sharply through his nose, giving Tetsurou a flat look, but there's no real heat behind it. If anything, Tetsurou is pretty sure that if he weren’t here, Tsukishima would have made an excuse to leave by now. Instead, he's still sitting here, still picking at the rice ball he tried to keep away from Bokuto, still listening to Hinata’s ridiculous stories and rolling his eyes at Bokuto’s dramatics.

And more importantly, still letting Tetsurou sit next to him, casually invading his space like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Kenma nudges Tetsurou’s side with his elbow, muttering, "You're insufferable."

Tetsurou grins. "And yet, here you are."

Kenma just sighs, shifting slightly so that he can lean more comfortably against Tetsurou’s side, clearly accepting his fate.

The conversation continues, shifting between chaotic and strangely normal, and Tetsurou watches as Tsukishima starts to relax. It's subtle. The way his shoulders lose that sharp tension, the way his responses become less clipped, the way he lets Hinata ramble at him without immediately shutting him down.  

Tetsurou leans back, stretching his arms behind his head.

Yeah, this is exactly how he wanted things to turn out.

Tsukishima is here. Sitting with him. Eating the food he gave him. Tolerating the chaos of their friends. Not running away.

Sure, he’s complaining, sighing dramatically, rolling his eyes at every other sentence.. but he’s here .  

And Tetsurou knows Tsukishima well enough by now to understand that being here is the only thing that really matters.

The conversation shifts between Bokuto’s latest practice disaster (apparently, he tripped over a volleyball cart and took out three of his teammates in the process), Hinata’s ongoing rivalry with some guy in his dorm (who may or may not be real, Kenma mutters), and Akaashi’s new part-time job at a bookstore that Tetsurou already knows he’s going to visit just to annoy him.

Tsukishima mostly listens, interjecting only when something is so stupid he physically can’t stop himself from commenting. But when the group inevitably starts arguing over something ridiculous (this time: the correct way to peel a banana), Tetsurou notices how Tsukishima’s gaze drifts.

Just for a second.

Just long enough for Tetsurou to catch him looking at him .  

Not in the usual exasperated way, either. Not in the way that says I regret every life choice that led me to sitting at this table with you all. 

No, this look is different.

It’s small. Subtle. But there’s something softer in it. Something quiet.

And if Tetsurou weren’t already completely gone for this guy, that look might’ve been enough to do him in.

So, naturally, he does the most rational thing possible in this situation.  

He smirks.

Tsukishima immediately looks away, like he wasn’t just caught staring. “Don’t.”

Tetsurou props his chin on his hand, grinning. “Don’t what?”

Tsukishima glares at him, like he’s already regretting so much . “Whatever you’re thinking. Just don’t.”

Tetsurou hums. “You wound me, Tsukki. Can’t a guy just appreciate having lunch with his favorite blocking partner?”

Tsukishima scoffs. “I’m your only blocking partner. And Lev doesn’t count because I don’t think that he was actually playing volleyball during any of our practices. Just getting his ass kicked by Yaku-san.”  

“Exactly,” Tetsurou says, nudging him lightly. “So you’re my favorite.”

Tsukishima sighs, but there’s a hint of color dusting the tips of his ears as he picks at the remains of his rice ball.

Kenma, who has been silently observing this entire interaction with the kind of long-suffering patience that only comes from years of knowing Tetsurou, finally mutters, “You’re actually the worst.” 

Tetsurou grins.

The next time that Tetsurou gets time with Tsukishima outside of their shared class time is nearly a week later. And Tetsurou doesn’t love that, but he understands that settling into the first week of college is difficult. Especially for grumpy, introverted kids like Tsukishima.

Tetsurou is sure that Tsukishima is working hard in his classes already, still too young and bright eyed and thinking that he can get ahead of the tough classwork. Tetsurou was like that, too. Until he started living with Bokuto, of course. Then Tetsurou learned that it’s more fun to only pay attention to the classes that he actually enjoys and stay up all night binging anime with Bokuto.

Still, he can’t help but be kind of sad about the fact that Tsukshima is the closest that he’s been to Tetsurou since they first met, yet Tetsurou only sees him when they’re literally in class together. 

Tsukishima still texts him. Actually, Tetsurou thinks that Tsukishima is texting him more now that he’s in college. More casual, every day friendly kind of texts, like a picture of some kid trying to lure a squirrel out of a tree on his way to class in the morning and questions about how on Earth to do his own laundry and random things that Kunimi-kun says that remind Tsukishima of Tetsurou.

And… speaking of Kunimi-kun … 

“I don’t think that you would have met since Seijoh never went to Nationals…” 

“Don’t be a dick, Tsukki.” 

“This is Kuroo Tetsurou,” Tsukishima finishes. “He was my blocking mentor in high school. The reason that I was able to shut down Ushiwaka. Kuroo-san, this is Kunimi Akira. We’re from the same prefecture.” 

And… wow. There’s so much about this conversation that Tetsurou just doesn’t like. First, he doesn’t like that he finally managed to get Tsukishima to agree to have lunch together and he brings this guy, who has a face more bored than Tsukishima’s (and not in a cute way) and who Tsukishima hasn’t really stopped talking about since deciding to room with him. Second, he doesn’t like the way that Tsukishima didn’t say his normal Don’t call me that. when Kunimi called him by his nickname. 

Tetsurou doesn’t like this guy.

Kunimi, for his part, doesn’t look like he particularly cares one way or another about Tetsurou’s presence. He gives a lazy nod in greeting, hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie, and mutters, “Hey.”

Tetsurou narrows his eyes slightly, assessing. Kunimi looks… uninterested in everything around him, but Tetsurou can tell he’s watching. The kind of guy who pretends he’s completely detached but actually notices more than he lets on. And maybe it’s just the natural protective streak Tetsurou has when it comes to Tsukishima, but he can’t help but wonder- just how close are they?  

Tsukishima is already taking a sip of his iced coffee, seemingly unaffected by whatever first impression Kunimi might be giving off. “Kunimi’s a pain in the ass, but at least he doesn’t talk much.”

Kunimi hums in what Tetsurou assumes is agreement. “You’re worse.”

Tsukishima smirks over the rim of his cup. “That’s true.”

Tetsurou watches the exchange, a small frown tugging at his lips. There’s something easy about the way they talk, something natural. 

And sure, Tetsurou has that with Tsukishima too. But… it’s different. Tetsurou has spent months carefully pushing his way into Tsukishima’s space, making himself undeniable, making Tsukishima tolerate him until, eventually, he stopped just tolerating him.

But this? This looks like it was just… always there. Like Kunimi never had to try.

And Tetsurou? He doesn’t love that.

“So, Kunimi-kun,” he says, putting on his most charming grin. “What exactly do you do? Besides loitering in Tsukishima’s general vicinity, obviously.”

Kunimi blinks at him. It takes an almost excruciating few seconds before he shrugs. “Mostly just that, yeah.”

Tetsurou opens his mouth, then shuts it again. “Well. Alright then.”

Tsukishima smirks. “Don’t bother, Kuroo. Kunimi’s entire thing is being the most uninteresting person in the room.”

Kunimi shrugs again, completely unfazed. “Works for me.”

Tetsurou squints at him. He can’t tell if he’s dealing with an actual person or a human-shaped void of enthusiasm. He leans forward, propping his chin on his hand as he studies him. “You’re kind of like Kenma, but less… I dunno. Cunning.”

Kunimi lifts a brow. “Kenma? The one who dates Hinata?”

Tetsurou nods. “Yeah. But Kenma’s more of a mastermind. I feel like you’re just… passive. Like if a strong breeze pushed you in a certain direction, you’d just go with it.”

Kunimi considers this for a long moment, then nods. “Probably.”

Tsukishima snorts. “Kunimi thrives on minimal effort.”

Tetsurou hums, still watching Kunimi carefully. Then, because he has to test something, he says, “So, Kunimi, you and Tsukki seem close.”

Kunimi gives him the slowest blink of all time. “Not really.”

Tsukishima, for his part, just rolls his eyes. “We live together.”

Kunimi, clearly unimpressed by this whole conversation, shifts his weight slightly, looking ready to take a nap on the spot. “Tsukishima doesn’t like people,” he mutters. “I get that. So I don’t bother him too much. That’s why we get along.”

Tetsurou stares. He absolutely refuses to acknowledge the weird pang he feels at that statement.

Because… okay. Fine. Maybe that is a perfectly reasonable dynamic for Tsukishima to enjoy. Low effort, low interaction, no expectations.

But that’s not what Tetsurou wants with Tsukishima.

No, Tetsurou wants to push . He wants to press . He wants to get under Tsukishima’s skin in a way that makes him feel . He wants to be the reason Tsukishima gets irritated, flustered, exasperated- and he wants to be the reason Tsukishima stays.

So maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t like Kunimi because he represents everything that Tetsurou isn’t.

Tsukishima, clearly catching on to the silent staring contest happening between them, sighs. “If you two are going to keep weirdly posturing at each other, I’m leaving.”

Tetsurou immediately schools his expression into an easy grin, leaning back. “Who, me? I would never.”

Kunimi shrugs. “I don’t really care either way.”

Tetsurou is going to go absolutely insane.

Tsukishima just sighs again and takes another long sip of his coffee.

Tetsurou glances at him, watching the way his fingers tap against the plastic cup, the way his gaze flickers between Tetsurou and Kunimi like he’s trying to figure out what exactly is happening between them.

And then, because he just can’t help himself, Tetsurou smirks. “You’re cute when you’re annoyed, Tsukki.”

Tsukishima chokes on his coffee.

Kunimi just sighs. “Yeah, I’m definitely leaving.”

Tsukishima coughs into his sleeve, glaring daggers at Tetsurou while trying to regain his composure. His face is slightly red, whether from the coffee going down the wrong pipe or Tetsurou’s words, Tetsurou isn’t sure, but he chooses to believe it’s the latter.

Kunimi, completely unaffected, shoves his hands back into his hoodie pockets and turns on his heel. “Have fun with… whatever this is,” he mutters before walking away, leaving them alone at the table.

Tetsurou watches him go, then turns back to Tsukishima with a wide grin. “So,” he drawls, resting his chin in his palm. “What do you see in him?”

Tsukishima glares. “He’s quiet.”

“Right, right,” Tetsurou nods, eyes gleaming. “But do you even like him?”

Tsukishima huffs. “I don’t dislike him.” 

Tetsurou hums, tapping his fingers against the table. “That’s a low bar.” 

Tsukishima levels him with a flat look. “Not everyone has to be a constant nuisance to be likable. Besides, he’s just my roommate.”

Tetsurou gasps, pressing a hand to his chest in mock offense. “Are you saying I’m a nuisance, Tsukki?”

Tsukishima doesn’t even hesitate. “Yes.” 

Tetsurou smirks, tilting his head. “And yet, here you are, having lunch with me.” 

Tsukishima rolls his eyes, taking another sip of his coffee, clearly deciding not to dignify that with a response. But the slight twitch of his lips, the way he pointedly avoids meeting Tetsurou’s gaze, tells Tetsurou everything he needs to know.

He’s winning.

Tetsurou leans in slightly, lowering his voice just enough to be teasing. “Admit it, Tsukki. You’d miss me if I stopped bothering you.”

Tsukishima exhales sharply through his nose, shaking his head as he pulls out his phone, pointedly ignoring him. 

Tetsurou grins.

Tsukishima hasn’t told him to go away.

That’s basically an invitation to keep pushing. 

After the strange interaction with Tsukishima and Kunimi, Tetsurou decides to leave the ball in Tsukishima’s court. Tetsurou thinks that part of this push and pull game that he and Tsukishima have been playing for years should have Tsukishima doing some of the pushing sometimes. (Or is Tetsurou pulling? He’s not sure which side he is in this metaphor, or if this is even a metaphor, if he’s being honest.)

And, honestly, even though he knows that Tsukishima likes being around him, Tetsurou can admit that he’s left feeling quite insecure about exactly where he stands with Tsukishima after meeting Tsukishima’s roommate. 

So, he hasn’t pressed to hang out. He goes to class and he smiles and teases Tsukishima because, at his very core, Tetsurou is someone who wants to see Tsukishima blush. He texts back when Tsukishima sends him messages and even sends his own texts first. But he doesn’t ask Tsukishima to get lunch together like he had been doing. He doesn’t say, “Hey, Tsukki, come study with me instead of at the library,” or, “Tsukki, come block with me and lets show Bokuto how it’s done,” after their shared class anymore.

Tsukishima texts him more often, but he doesn’t ask to hang out either.

And it’s making Tetsurou kind of restless.

“What’s going on with you, bro?” Bokuto asks him on day four of not asking Tsukishima to hang out. “You seem jittery.” Then, to Akaashi. “Did I use jittery right?” 

“You did.”

Tetsurou huffs. “I’m not jittery.” 

“Then… tense,” Bokuto offers. “You seem like you haven’t stretched before playing, or something like that. But, like, mentally.”

Tetsurou glares at Bokuto, his mind momentarily distracted from the fact that he hasn’t gotten a single text from Tsukishima today. “I’m not mentally tense,” he mutters. “Just… thinking.”

Bokuto raises an eyebrow, his usual energy completely dialed back for once. “Uh-huh. Thinking, huh? About Tsukishima?”

Tetsurou freezes.

Akaashi doesn’t even glance up from his textbook, but his lips twitch. “That obvious?”

Tetsurou groans and slumps down into the chair next to Bokuto. “It’s not about Tsukishima. It’s just… I don’t know, something feels off.”

“Something’s off?” Bokuto repeats, turning sideways to fully face him. “Bro, what’s up? You haven’t been yourself all week. Are you two fighting?”

“No,” Tetsurou sighs, rubbing his eyes. “It’s not like that. It’s just… I don’t know, I thought things were going fine between us, and now suddenly, I feel like I’m chasing after him, and he’s not… he’s not doing the same, you know? It’s like he’s busy with his own thing and I’m just kinda here. I think… maybe things have always been like that.”

Akaashi looks over the top of his book, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he doesn’t speak. He just watches.

Bokuto frowns, looking as though he’s actually trying to process the situation. “I mean… Tsukishima is Tsukishima. He’s kind of like that with everyone, right? He does his thing and doesn’t always make a big deal about it. Maybe he’s just adjusting to college and isn’t thinking about hanging out the same way you are.”

Tetsurou stares at him, unsure of what to say. “I know. I get that. But I thought I… I thought I had something with him. Something more than just class and random text messages. And I don’t know if he feels the same way or if I’m just being… whatever.”

Bokuto leans forward, his gaze serious for once, though his voice remains as upbeat as ever. “Bro, you’re kind of overthinking this. If you’ve really got something with him, then he’s probably just waiting for you to make a move, y’know? You said that it’s always been like this, so maybe he’s used to you taking the lead. And maybe he’s never had to do it before, so he doesn’t know what to do.”

Tetsurou blinks. “You think so?”

Akaashi speaks up then, his voice calm. “What Bokuto is trying to say is that sometimes, people need to feel like they can make the decision without pressure. Especially Tsukishima.”

“Yeah,” Bokuto adds with a grin. “He’s got the whole ‘I don’t need anyone, leave me alone’ vibe going on, but if you stop chasing him, it’ll probably hit him that he doesn’t want you to stop chasing him.”

Tetsurou exhales slowly, sitting back in his chair. “That’s what I’ve been doing. But I’m not sure how much longer I can take this tension, you know?”

Bokuto pats him on the back, hard enough to make him wince. “Bro, you’ll be fine. It’s just a phase. You’ll see.”

Bokuto is right, but Tetsurou isn’t sure what to do when Tsukishima finally does want to hang out with him.

It’s about eleven-thirty at night and Tetsurou is trying to finish a lab report that he has due in the morning when a loud knock comes on his door.

Tetsurou pauses, glancing up from his laptop. His apartment is otherwise quiet. Just him and the muffled sounds of Bokuto’s lofi music drifting through the walls. He stands up slowly, wondering who could possibly be knocking at this hour.

He opens the door, shocked to see Tsukishima, looking somewhat out of place with his usual nonchalant expression, but there’s a slight crease between his brows. His hair is slightly messier than usual, and his hoodie seems a little more rumpled than it should be.

“Tsukki?” Tetsurou asks, leaning against the doorframe like a late night visit from Tsukishima is something normal . “What’s up? Is everything okay?”

Tsukishima stands in front of him for a moment, looking down at his shoes, then up again, eyes meeting Tetsurou’s with a hesitation that Tetsurou doesn’t often see in him.

“I-” Tsukishima starts, but his voice falters, and he clears his throat. “I don’t know. I just... I thought you might be awake.”

Tetsurou raises an eyebrow. “I am awake. But why are you here, at this hour?”

Tsukishima hesitates again, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His fingers twitch as if he's unsure what to do with them. Tetsurou’s heart does a little flip, and he’s already trying to read the situation. But, like usual, he’s having trouble reading Tsukishima.

“Can I come in?” Tsukishima finally asks, his voice quieter than usual.

Tetsurou steps aside immediately, opening the door wider. “Of course. What’s going on?”

Tsukishima doesn’t answer right away, and instead walks in, looking around the room before sitting down on the couch, his posture stiff, but still somehow casual.

Tetsurou follows him, closing the door softly behind him. He takes a moment to study Tsukishima, who is clearly... off. He can’t put his finger on it exactly, but Tsukishima isn’t his usual self. He looks like he’s holding something in, like he’s trying to wrestle with his own thoughts and emotions.

Tetsurou doesn’t say anything for a moment, just letting the silence settle between them. He sits on the coffee table in front of Tsukishima, making sure he’s not invading his space too much, just close enough to be present, to make Tsukishima feel like he can speak if he wants to.

Tsukishima fidgets with the sleeve of his hoodie, staring at his hands for a few moments before he looks up at Tetsurou, eyes hesitant but still trying to hide something- something Tetsurou can’t quite place.

“I don’t know what to say,” Tsukishima mutters, his voice barely above a whisper, like he’s uncertain about even speaking at all.

Tetsurou raises an eyebrow, his heart picking up pace. Tsukishima- admittedly, the last person he expected to have trouble finding words- seems lost for once. Tetsurou wants to say something, to fill the silence, but he holds back. He’s been waiting for Tsukishima to make a move, but he’s also not about to force him into it. Instead, he keeps his tone soft, steady, trying to offer something Tsukishima can grab onto.

“You don’t have to say anything, you know. Not if you don’t want to,” Tetsurou says quietly, watching Tsukishima closely.

For a long beat, Tsukishima doesn’t respond, his gaze flickering between Tetsurou’s face and the floor. Finally, his voice breaks through the silence, quieter than before, like he’s speaking to himself more than to Tetsurou.

“I guess… I didn’t realize how much I needed you around until you stopped being so...” He trails off, biting his lip as if he’s trying to hold back something. “I don’t know. Just, I miss... I miss it. When we’d hang out, when it didn’t feel like I had to think about every damn thing.”

Tetsurou’s chest tightens at the words, and he wants to reach out, to touch Tsukishima’s arm or to reassure him, but he stops himself. This is Tsukishima’s moment, not his to take away with selfish wants of touching Tsukishima.

“Tsukki,” Tetsurou says, a slight smile tugging at his lips despite the situation. “I’ve been here this whole time. You don’t have to do all the thinking on your own, you know.”

Tsukishima looks up at him then, a faint flicker of something- relief, maybe- passing through his eyes. “I know. It’s just... it’s different now. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I think I messed up.”

Tetsurou leans forward, studying Tsukishima’s face with an intensity that feels like he’s pulling the truth out of him, but still careful enough to give him room to breathe.

“You didn’t mess up, Tsukki,” Tetsurou says quietly. “You just... need to talk to me. That’s all. I’m right here. I’ve always been here. I’ve just been waiting for you.”

Tsukishima’s eyes soften, a breath escaping him like he’s been holding it for too long. He exhales slowly, the tension starting to leave his body, even if it’s only just a little.

“I don’t know how to ask for what I need,” Tsukishima admits, his voice almost a whisper, like admitting it makes it all too real.

Tetsurou moves to sit beside him on the couch, careful to keep his space but close enough to make sure Tsukishima knows he’s there. “Then let me be the one who knows. Let me help. You don’t have to ask for everything. Just... ask me to be there.”

Tsukishima’s gaze flickers toward him, searching his face for something, and then, just for a second, his usual guarded expression falters, replaced by a vulnerability Tetsurou has never seen from him before.

Tetsurou isn’t sure what he’s expecting, but it isn’t for Tsukishima to grab a pillow and lay his head down next to Tetsurou’s thigh. Of course, Bokuto won’t mind if Tsukishima crashes here for the night, but it’s all so sudden and Tsukshima still isn’t telling Tetsurou what it is that he needs and he’s not sure where they stand right now and-

“Kuroo-san?” Tsukishima says, voice hesitant. “Can you pet my hair?”

Tetsurou blinks, his mind briefly short-circuiting at the request. He can feel his breath catch in his chest, and for a moment, he's just staring at Tsukishima, whose eyes are still half-lidded, the pillow clutched tightly in his hands, as if he's afraid to ask for something so simple yet so intimate.

"Pet your hair?" Tetsurou repeats softly, his voice thick with a mixture of surprise and something else he can't quite name.

Tsukishima's gaze flickers away, and he lets out a small, almost imperceptible sigh. "Yeah... If you can. It’s... stupid, I know. But- I don't know. It helps." His voice is barely a whisper, as though he's afraid of the words coming out, like he doesn’t want to burden Tetsurou with something so trivial.

Tetsurou pauses, his heart racing a little faster now. He’s not used to this side of Tsukishima- the quiet, vulnerable version that seems so unsure of himself. But it’s real . It’s raw . 

And somehow, that makes it feel more important than anything else they’ve ever shared.

Without thinking too much about it, he reaches out slowly, his fingers brushing the top of Tsukishima’s messy hair, and then he starts to run his hand through it, gently, carefully. The motion is light at first, tentative, like he’s testing the waters to see if this is okay.

Tsukishima’s body seems to relax almost immediately under his touch. A soft, relieved breath escapes him, and he shifts slightly, his head resting more comfortably against Tetsurou's thigh. Tetsurou can feel the weight of his gaze lingering on him, but he doesn’t look down- he keeps his focus on Tsukishima’s hair, his fingers moving in slow, soothing motions.

"Is this okay?" Tetsurou asks quietly, needing to hear Tsukishima say it, even though he knows it is. Even though he knows that this is Tsukishima letting Tetsurou know that he needs him.

Tsukishima gives a small, almost imperceptible nod, his hand tightening around the pillow just a little. “Yeah. It’s... it’s fine.”

Tetsurou lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and for the next few minutes, the room falls into a peaceful silence, broken only by the sound of his hand gently brushing through Tsukishima’s hair. He feels Tsukishima’s body relax further with each pass of his fingers, the tension in him melting away little by little. It’s like he's being let into a space Tsukishima doesn’t let many people into- something so simple but so deeply personal.

“I’m sorry,” Tsukishima murmurs suddenly, breaking the quiet. “For... not saying anything sooner. I didn’t know how.”

Tetsurou smiles softly, his fingers pausing for a moment. “You don’t have to apologize, Tsukki. I’m just glad you’re here now.”

There’s a long pause, and Tetsurou wonders if Tsukishima is falling asleep. He glances down at him, but Tsukishima’s eyes are still open, staring at the pillow, but there’s a calmness in his expression that’s completely different from the usual guarded mask he wears.

“I’m not great at this stuff,” Tsukishima admits, voice low. “But I want to be... better. For you. For me.”

Tetsurou’s heart gives another little flutter at the words. “You’re doing just fine.”

For a while, Tetsurou just continues to pet Tsukishima’s hair, the quiet of the night wrapping around them like a warm blanket. There’s still so much unsaid, so many things that Tetsurou doesn’t know about what’s going on in Tsukishima’s head, but for now, this is enough. 

Just this moment, the weight of Tsukishima’s presence beside him, the steady rhythm of his hand moving through his hair, and the knowledge that Tsukishima is here- finally, fully, in a way that feels like something more than just the usual teasing and distance.

Tetsurou doesn’t know what this means for them, or where they go after this. He doesn’t know if this is Tsukishima finally reciprocating his feelings, or if Tsukishima is just having a particularly bad night tonight.

Still, “I’m right here, Tsukki,” Tetsurou says softly, his voice firm with the conviction that he’s not going anywhere. “Whenever you need me.”

After that, things with Tsukishima are weird. But in a much different way. In a much better way. Tsukishima texts Tetsurou more, calls him in the evening, and follows him after their shared class, spending time studying or playing volleyball again or having lunch with Tetsurou before his next class.

It’s subtle, the way Tsukishima shifts into his life more. It’s not like he wasn’t there before, but now he’s there in a way that feels deliberate. Like he’s choosing to be. Like Tetsurou is finally done being the one chasing Tsukishima. Like maybe they’re chasing each other. Or like they’ve finally caught one another.

Tetsurou notices it in the way Tsukishima lingers a little longer after their study sessions, even when he doesn’t have anywhere else to be. In the way his texts are more frequent. He starts sending random thoughts, dry sarcasm, and even the occasional complaint about class, and Tetsurou can’t help but smile whenever his phone buzzes with a notification from him.

There’s also the fact that Tsukishima has started sitting pressed up against him at lunch. Even when Bokuto or Hinata show up. Even when Kenma and Akaashi raise their eyebrows at the easy way Tsukishima now touches Tetsurou. Even when he catches Tetsurou watching him.

Tetsurou had been so worried that he’d be chasing an unrealistic dream forever.

But now? Now, Tsukishima is showing up.  

It’s not like he’s suddenly become an open book, spilling all his thoughts and feelings at every opportunity. No, he’s still Tsukishima. He’s still guarded, still sharp-tongued, still rolling his eyes at Tetsurou’s stupid jokes. But he’s there. More than before.

And maybe it’s selfish, but Tetsurou can’t help but enjoy it.

One evening, after a particularly long day, Tetsurou is on his way back to his apartment when his phone vibrates in his pocket.  

Tsukki > Me
6:43PM
Are you home?

Tetsurou glances at the message, then up at the sky. The sun is setting, casting a golden-orange hue across campus. It’s a little late for Tsukishima to be reaching out without a reason.  

Me > Tsukki
6:44PM
not yet…
why? 

There’s a pause, then another message.  

Tsukki > Me
6:46PM
Just wanted to stop by.

Tetsurou blinks at his screen. He bites back a grin as he types.  

Me > Tsukki
6:46PM
you miss me already??
cute~  

Tsukki > Me
6:48PM
Forget it.

Tetsurou laughs, shaking his head as he quickens his pace toward his apartment.  

Me > Tsukki
6:48PM
you know i’m kidding
i’ll be home in 10
see you soon?

Tsukki > Me
6:48PM
Yeah.

Tetsurou doesn’t know what’s changed between them exactly, but whatever it is, he’s not about to mess it up. So when he gets home and finds Tsukishima already waiting outside his door, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie, he doesn’t ask any questions.

He just grins, unlocks the door, and steps aside to let him in.

“What’s going on with you and Tsukishima?” Hinata asks one day when he and Kenma come over to Tetsurou’s apartment to steal any and all food that he and Bokuto have lying around. “Are you two dating?” 

“I told you not just to ask like that,” Kenma scolds. “We have to be gentle with them.” 

Hinata pouts. “But I want to know! Kuroo-san never tells us anything!” 

“Well, what about you?” Tetsurou counters. “Aren’t you hiding something from me?” 

Hinata points at himself. “Me?” 

“Yes, you. I heard from Yaku who heard from Nishinoya who heard from Tanaka who heard from Yamamoto who heard from Lev who heard from you that Suga-chan is dating Oikawa Tooru!” 

Kenma blinks. “Did you have to memorize that to remember the order?” 

“Don’t change the subject!”

Hinata tilts his head. “Oh, yeah! Tsukishima and I went to have lunch with him the other week since his school is only, like, twenty minutes from here, right? And he told us that he was going to introduce us to his boyfriend and it was the Great King! Turns out they go to school together and Oikawa-san has been pining after Suga-san since high school.” 

Tetsurou tsks. “And you didn’t think to share that information with anyone else?” 

“I told Lev,” Hinata says. “And Kenma. Actually, I think that I told Bokuto-san, too-”

Kenma shrugs when Kuroo turns to glare at him. “I didn’t think it was that important. And Hinata only told me so that he could brag about beating Kageyama this time, since Kageyama didn’t end up with either of his high school crushes.”

Tetsurou sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Unbelievable. And you’re over here grilling me about Tsukishima? When you couldn’t even tell me such important news? ”

Hinata crosses his arms, undeterred, and apparently not letting Tetsurou get away with the change in subject. “Well? Are you two dating or not?”  

Tetsurou opens his mouth to answer, but then stops. Because honestly? He doesn’t know.  

Tsukishima is there. He’s showing up. He’s changed so much even since they first met each other nearly a month ago on the first day of school. But they haven’t talked about it. Haven’t put a name to whatever this is.

“I don’t know,” Tetsurou admits finally, surprising even himself.

Hinata gasps. “How do you not know?!”

Kenma, ever the voice of reason, tilts his head. “Has he kissed you?”

Tetsurou sputters. “Wha- why is that the deciding factor?”

Kenma just shrugs again. “Usually is. Hinata and I started dating when I kissed him.”  

Hinata hums. “But, actually, I agree with Kuroo-san. I didn’t know that we were dating for almost three months.” 

“Yeah, but Kuro is at least a little more perceptive than you are, so he would know that they were dating if Tsukishima kissed him.” 

Tetsurou groans, but before he can argue, there’s a knock at the door.  

He doesn’t have to wonder who it is. His phone had buzzed just a minute ago with Tsukishima letting him know that he was stopping by.

Kenma smirks as he watches Tetsurou scramble to the door. “Yeah, you’re definitely dating.”  

Tetsurou ignores him, swings the door open, and finds Tsukishima standing there, hoodie on, hands stuffed in his pockets as always. His gaze flickers past Tetsurou and lands on Kenma and Hinata.

“I should’ve known you two were here.”

Kenma offers a small wave from his spot on the couch. Hinata, meanwhile, is staring at them both like he’s witnessing history being made.

Tsukishima sighs, apparently not here for whatever face Hinata is making. “Are you busy?”  

Tetsurou glances back at the other two, who are very much eavesdropping, then steps outside, closing the door behind him. “Not really,” he says, ignoring Hinata’s cry that they’re literally in the middle of a conversation. “What’s up?”

Tsukishima shifts his weight, hesitating for a second before muttering, “Wanna go for a walk?”

Tetsurou blinks, caught off guard. But then he smiles. “Yeah. Let me grab my jacket.”

As Tetsurou shrugs on his jacket, he can still hear Hinata whining from inside the apartment.  

“You can’t just leave in the middle of a conversation! That’s not how this works!”  

Kenma’s voice follows, sounding entirely unbothered. “They’re definitely dating.”

“Bokuto-san! Was Kuroo-san muttering names of a bunch of people from training camp earlier?” 

“Yeah, how did you know? He was saying something about Yaku-” 

Tetsurou rolls his eyes, ignoring them all as he steps back out, closing the door behind him and praying that Tsukishima hadn’t heard their yelling. Though, with Hinata and Bokuto in one apartment, Tetsurou knows that the chances of that are very slim.

Tsukishima is already walking ahead, hands still shoved into his hoodie pockets, shoulders slightly hunched against the evening chill. Tetsurou jogs a little to catch up, falling into step beside him.

They walk in silence for a while, the distant sounds of the city filling the space between them. It’s not uncomfortable, never really is with Tsukishima, but there’s something heavier in the air tonight.

Tetsurou sneaks a glance at him, watching the way his jaw is set, how he keeps glancing down at his shoes like he’s working through something in his head.

“You okay?” Tetsurou finally asks.

Tsukishima exhales sharply, but it’s not quite a sigh. “Yeah. Just... thinking.”

“Dangerous,” Tetsurou teases, nudging his shoulder lightly.

Tsukishima huffs out a small, almost imperceptible laugh, but it fades as quickly as it came.  

Tetsurou waits, remembering Akaashi’s words from weeks earlier. About how Tsukishima needs to figure things out on his own without Tetsurou’s pushing sometimes.

And eventually, Tsukishima speaks.

“Are we... something?” His voice is quiet, almost lost in the sound of their footsteps on the pavement.

Tetsurou’s breath catches. He wasn’t expecting that.

He stops walking. And when Tsukishima realizes, he stops too, turning to look at him.

“What do you think we are?” Tetsurou asks carefully.

Tsukishima shifts uncomfortably, his fingers twitching at his sides. “I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”

Tetsurou watches him, watches the way his usual mask is slipping just a little, revealing the uncertainty underneath.

And suddenly, he’s smiling. Because for all of Tsukishima’s sharp edges, for all of his walls and his distance, he’s here. 

He’s asking.

He’s trying.

“I think,” Tetsurou says slowly, stepping just a little closer. “That you keep showing up.”

Tsukishima doesn’t move away. 

“I think,” Tetsurou continues. “That I’ve been waiting for you to figure out what you want.”

Tsukishima swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. “And if I have?”  

Tetsurou raises an eyebrow, tilting his head. “Have you?”  

There’s a pause. And then, so quiet Tetsurou barely hears it-

“Yeah.” 

And before Tetsurou can say anything else, before he can even process the weight of that single word, Tsukishima reaches out hesitantly, fingers curling around the sleeve of Tetsurou’s jacket. Not pulling, not holding tight, just there.

Tetsurou’s heart stutters.

He covers Tsukishima’s hand with his own, gives it a small squeeze, and smiles.

Tsukishima’s fingers twitch under Tetsurou’s touch, and for a second, it seems like he might pull away. But he doesn’t. Instead, he exhales softly, shoulders dropping just a little, and Tetsurou swears he sees something shift in his expression- something unguarded, something vulnerable.  

And then, like he’s made up his mind, Tsukishima takes a step closer.  

Tetsurou doesn’t speak, doesn’t tease. He just waits, letting Tsukishima set the pace. Because this is important. Because Tsukishima is here, and he’s choosing this. Choosing him.

Tsukishima’s gaze flickers up, meeting Tetsurou’s for just a moment before dropping to his lips.

Tetsurou barely has time to process it before Tsukishima leans in, slow but deliberate. Their noses brush, and then, finally- finally - Tsukishima presses his lips to Tetsurou’s.

It’s tentative at first, just a light, careful press, but Tetsurou meets him halfway, tilting his head, letting his free hand come up to rest against Tsukishima’s jaw. The warmth of it seems to ground him because Tsukishima exhales through his nose and leans in just a little more.

Tetsurou smiles against his lips, and when they pull apart, it’s only enough to rest their foreheads together.

“So?” Tetsurou murmurs, his breath warm between them. “Do you know now?”

Tsukishima huffs, but the pink dusting his cheeks betrays him. “Yeah. Shut up.” Then, much more shyly. “I’ve known since we were in high school. Why else would I go through all of that extra practice and text you all the time and go to the same college as you?”

Tetsurou’s breath catches in his throat. He leans back just enough to look at Tsukishima properly, taking in the pink on his cheeks, the way his eyes dart to the side like he’s regretting saying that out loud. But Tetsurou doesn’t tease, doesn’t laugh. Instead, his chest feels unbearably warm.

“You’ve known that long?” he asks, voice softer than he intended.

Tsukishima grumbles, shoving his hands deeper into his hoodie pockets now that Tetsurou isn’t holding one of them. “I said shut up.”

Tetsurou can’t help but grin. “You had a crush on me in high school,” he teases, nudging Tsukishima’s side.

Tsukishima groans, turning away like he’s ready to walk off, but Tetsurou catches his sleeve again, tugging him back. “Hey.” He waits until Tsukishima’s gaze flickers back to his. “Me too, you know.”

Tsukishima blinks, the faintest furrow appearing between his brows. “You too?”

Tetsurou nods. “I’ll be even more embarrassing than you. I knew the first time that we ever met.” He tilts his head, smiling. “Guess we’re both kind of dumb for dancing around each other all of this time.” 

Tsukishima rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. Instead, after a brief hesitation, he tugs his sleeve free from Tetsurou’s grip, only to lace their fingers together properly this time.

Tetsurou’s heart stumbles over itself, and for once, he has nothing clever to say. Just squeezes Tsukishima’s hand and holds on.

After a beat, Tsukishima exhales. “Let’s keep walking. Before I regret this.”

Tetsurou chuckles, bumping their shoulders together as they start moving again. “Too late, Kei ,” he says, voice warm. “You’re stuck with me now.”

And when Tsukishima doesn’t let go, Tetsurou knows.

Knows that he was right all those years ago when he fell in love with Tsukishima Kei.